Britain 1951-1997
Conservative domination 1951-1964
Assess the reasons why the Conservatives won the 1951 election. (20 marks)
P1: Labour weaknesses concerning the economy.
Labour was seen as a party of austerity and high taxation. They increased taxes on
incomes and goods, controlled wages of workers and were struggling with controlling
the economy which is evident in Attlee’s 1949 devaluation of the pound. Britain was
in a BOP deficit and the confidence of the pound dropped, resultantly, the pound was
now worth $2.80 as opposed to $4.03.
Attlee had also led Britain into the Korean War to strengthen the Anglo-US alliance
for the Cold War. This was expensive, so much so, that it led to Chancellor Hugh
Gaitskell to introduce prescription charges on teeth, glasses and more. This
undermined the belief that the NHS should be free. This opened up divisions within
the Conservative Party.
Continued rationing until 1951 (1954) due to the weakness of the pound. Bread was
rationed for the first time in 1946 because the extreme weather, e.g. the 1947
notorious winter, meant there were food shortages.
P2: Appeal of Winston Churchill
Churchill was seen as an influential figure and a hero because he led the country to
victory in the Second World War. This meant that people wanted to appreciate his
efforts and his success by voting him in the 1951 election.
He was able to exploit the Labour failures and promised more ‘red meat’ at a time
when bread and other foodstuff were still being rationed. This meant he won over
the support of the public who were feeling disillusioned and discontent with
rationing and Labour as a whole.
Promised to build 300,000 houses a year at a time when there was a housing
shortage.
Presented himself as an upholder of liberty and individualism against collectivism.
P3: Fatigued Labour in contrast to a dynamic Conservative Party / Party management
Conservatives reorganised themselves after their defeat in 1945 as opposed to
Labour who were divided over economic policies.
Many Labour MPs were in government for over a decade and were not contributing
to any new dynamic ideas, such as Attlee and Ernest Bevin. This contrasted to new
MPs in the Conservative Party such as Reginald Maudling who was young and
provided a ‘new set of eyes,’ and dynamic ideas for the party to win over the public.
Lord Woolton in the Conservative party reformed party finances and local
organisation so that they were in a better position to challenge Labour.
P4: Electoral System
, Britain used the first past the post system where candidates win a seat in the House
of Commons if they get more votes than any other candidate in the constituency.
Decline of the Liberal Party meant Conservatives won more voters and more
marginal Labour seats.
Conservatives won more marginal seats, rather than safe seats. They won more seats
but less votes.
Boundary changes meant Labour had to win 2% more votes to win the same number
of seats as they were becoming marginal.
‘The most important reason for Conservative domination was the improvement of the
standard of living.’ How far do you agree? (20 marks)
P1: Improvement of the standard of living
Real wages grew faster than prices rose and the rate of inflation which made
ordinary people better off. Rose from £8.30 to over double that to £18.35. Incomes
tax was also cut. This improved the ‘feel good’ factor and gave more spending power
to the people. 91% people had television ownership as opposed to just 4% in 1951.
Greater availability of credit meant they could afford more luxury items such as
designer handbags and cars, which the latter oversaw a 500% rise in car ownership.
Ordinary people could afford expensive items which they could not before. This is
evidencing the public had ‘never had it so good.’
Abolishing controls on rent in the Rent Act 1957 meant there was an availability of
housing led to a property-owning democracy.
Improved living standards created a content, materially satisfied electorate that
rewarded the Conservatives for economic stability and growth. Created voter
loyalty – Conservatives were bringing tangible improvements to their lives.
P2: Divisions within Labour
The party was split between the Bevanites and the Gaitskellites. They disagreed on
whether Labour should be more socialist or not. The Bevanites argued the state
should control the economy and society and have much more say in this. Divide over
who should influence policy: the working man (unions) or the party?
Disagreement over nuclear policy. Left of the party wanted unilateral nuclear
disarmament so that more money was available for social reforms whereas the right
wanted to maintain its independent nuclear deterrent.
Left wanted a greater commitment to Clause IV – nationalisation. Gaitskell tried to
abolish Clause IV – contested and failed.
Labour was opposed to Britain joining the EEC, which did not give the appearance of
party modernisation and progression.
This was important because no divided government should lead the country if they
cannot reach key decision which are vital to party governance. Incompetent and too
divided to offer a strong alternative to the Conservatives.
P3: Leadership
, Leaders like Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, and Alec Douglas-
Home brought political experience, personal charisma, and public trust, which
reassured voters. Macmillan, in particular, projected a calm, competent image during
a time of prosperity, famously declaring that Britons had "never had it so good”.
stable and capable governing party.
Eden’s personal appeal was to female voters, charming and highly experienced.
MacMillan – nicknamed ‘SuperMac’ for his appearances on televisions. ‘Never had it
so good.’ Won the 1959 election and increased the majority to 100.
Personal appeal to the electorate. Calm leadership made him popular, warm and
witty and a natural on television.
Home – Old Etonian, not chosen by the party as a whole, but by a group of senior
Conservatives – mercilessly satirised.
Labour had poor leadership from Hugh Gaitskell e.g. tax pledge blunder humiliated
his party. Promised to increase pensions without an increase in tax but it was drafted
too quickly with many questions on how it would be financed.
Rising living standards, economic growth, and a booming consumer culture meant
many voters were content with the status quo, regardless of who led the
Conservatives.
P4: Timing of the elections
Eden called an election in 1955 before the 1956 Suez crisis, which he was shamed for
and was forced to resign.
Use of ‘Stop Go economics’ – controlling inflation, unemployment and spurting
economic growth.
The ‘stop’ refers to governments reducing spending to manage inflation. Whereas
the ‘go’ is typically found before the timing of elections to boost economic activity.
So, governments were typically spending more money to boost economic activity.
To what extent were Conservative economic policies successful in the years 1951-1964?
LOA: Conservative economic policies partially succeeded as its governments largely achieved
their goals in relation to growth and living standards. But they were not entirely successful
as unemployment started rising towards the end of the period, traditional industries were
not modernised and Britain failed to keep pace with its European counterparts.
Par 1 Growth and inflation
The Conservatives aimed to maintain growth while controlling inflation
Interest rates and import controls were used to manage the economy. If spending
rose too fast, then taxes or interest rates were increased. Import controls might be
used to prevent purchases from abroad. These measures would be relaxed if
spending fell too fast.
Britain’s economy grew by 2.3 per cent between 1951 and 1964. This compares with
growth of 5.6 per cent in Italy and 5.1 per cent in Germany over the same period.
Conservative domination 1951-1964
Assess the reasons why the Conservatives won the 1951 election. (20 marks)
P1: Labour weaknesses concerning the economy.
Labour was seen as a party of austerity and high taxation. They increased taxes on
incomes and goods, controlled wages of workers and were struggling with controlling
the economy which is evident in Attlee’s 1949 devaluation of the pound. Britain was
in a BOP deficit and the confidence of the pound dropped, resultantly, the pound was
now worth $2.80 as opposed to $4.03.
Attlee had also led Britain into the Korean War to strengthen the Anglo-US alliance
for the Cold War. This was expensive, so much so, that it led to Chancellor Hugh
Gaitskell to introduce prescription charges on teeth, glasses and more. This
undermined the belief that the NHS should be free. This opened up divisions within
the Conservative Party.
Continued rationing until 1951 (1954) due to the weakness of the pound. Bread was
rationed for the first time in 1946 because the extreme weather, e.g. the 1947
notorious winter, meant there were food shortages.
P2: Appeal of Winston Churchill
Churchill was seen as an influential figure and a hero because he led the country to
victory in the Second World War. This meant that people wanted to appreciate his
efforts and his success by voting him in the 1951 election.
He was able to exploit the Labour failures and promised more ‘red meat’ at a time
when bread and other foodstuff were still being rationed. This meant he won over
the support of the public who were feeling disillusioned and discontent with
rationing and Labour as a whole.
Promised to build 300,000 houses a year at a time when there was a housing
shortage.
Presented himself as an upholder of liberty and individualism against collectivism.
P3: Fatigued Labour in contrast to a dynamic Conservative Party / Party management
Conservatives reorganised themselves after their defeat in 1945 as opposed to
Labour who were divided over economic policies.
Many Labour MPs were in government for over a decade and were not contributing
to any new dynamic ideas, such as Attlee and Ernest Bevin. This contrasted to new
MPs in the Conservative Party such as Reginald Maudling who was young and
provided a ‘new set of eyes,’ and dynamic ideas for the party to win over the public.
Lord Woolton in the Conservative party reformed party finances and local
organisation so that they were in a better position to challenge Labour.
P4: Electoral System
, Britain used the first past the post system where candidates win a seat in the House
of Commons if they get more votes than any other candidate in the constituency.
Decline of the Liberal Party meant Conservatives won more voters and more
marginal Labour seats.
Conservatives won more marginal seats, rather than safe seats. They won more seats
but less votes.
Boundary changes meant Labour had to win 2% more votes to win the same number
of seats as they were becoming marginal.
‘The most important reason for Conservative domination was the improvement of the
standard of living.’ How far do you agree? (20 marks)
P1: Improvement of the standard of living
Real wages grew faster than prices rose and the rate of inflation which made
ordinary people better off. Rose from £8.30 to over double that to £18.35. Incomes
tax was also cut. This improved the ‘feel good’ factor and gave more spending power
to the people. 91% people had television ownership as opposed to just 4% in 1951.
Greater availability of credit meant they could afford more luxury items such as
designer handbags and cars, which the latter oversaw a 500% rise in car ownership.
Ordinary people could afford expensive items which they could not before. This is
evidencing the public had ‘never had it so good.’
Abolishing controls on rent in the Rent Act 1957 meant there was an availability of
housing led to a property-owning democracy.
Improved living standards created a content, materially satisfied electorate that
rewarded the Conservatives for economic stability and growth. Created voter
loyalty – Conservatives were bringing tangible improvements to their lives.
P2: Divisions within Labour
The party was split between the Bevanites and the Gaitskellites. They disagreed on
whether Labour should be more socialist or not. The Bevanites argued the state
should control the economy and society and have much more say in this. Divide over
who should influence policy: the working man (unions) or the party?
Disagreement over nuclear policy. Left of the party wanted unilateral nuclear
disarmament so that more money was available for social reforms whereas the right
wanted to maintain its independent nuclear deterrent.
Left wanted a greater commitment to Clause IV – nationalisation. Gaitskell tried to
abolish Clause IV – contested and failed.
Labour was opposed to Britain joining the EEC, which did not give the appearance of
party modernisation and progression.
This was important because no divided government should lead the country if they
cannot reach key decision which are vital to party governance. Incompetent and too
divided to offer a strong alternative to the Conservatives.
P3: Leadership
, Leaders like Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, and Alec Douglas-
Home brought political experience, personal charisma, and public trust, which
reassured voters. Macmillan, in particular, projected a calm, competent image during
a time of prosperity, famously declaring that Britons had "never had it so good”.
stable and capable governing party.
Eden’s personal appeal was to female voters, charming and highly experienced.
MacMillan – nicknamed ‘SuperMac’ for his appearances on televisions. ‘Never had it
so good.’ Won the 1959 election and increased the majority to 100.
Personal appeal to the electorate. Calm leadership made him popular, warm and
witty and a natural on television.
Home – Old Etonian, not chosen by the party as a whole, but by a group of senior
Conservatives – mercilessly satirised.
Labour had poor leadership from Hugh Gaitskell e.g. tax pledge blunder humiliated
his party. Promised to increase pensions without an increase in tax but it was drafted
too quickly with many questions on how it would be financed.
Rising living standards, economic growth, and a booming consumer culture meant
many voters were content with the status quo, regardless of who led the
Conservatives.
P4: Timing of the elections
Eden called an election in 1955 before the 1956 Suez crisis, which he was shamed for
and was forced to resign.
Use of ‘Stop Go economics’ – controlling inflation, unemployment and spurting
economic growth.
The ‘stop’ refers to governments reducing spending to manage inflation. Whereas
the ‘go’ is typically found before the timing of elections to boost economic activity.
So, governments were typically spending more money to boost economic activity.
To what extent were Conservative economic policies successful in the years 1951-1964?
LOA: Conservative economic policies partially succeeded as its governments largely achieved
their goals in relation to growth and living standards. But they were not entirely successful
as unemployment started rising towards the end of the period, traditional industries were
not modernised and Britain failed to keep pace with its European counterparts.
Par 1 Growth and inflation
The Conservatives aimed to maintain growth while controlling inflation
Interest rates and import controls were used to manage the economy. If spending
rose too fast, then taxes or interest rates were increased. Import controls might be
used to prevent purchases from abroad. These measures would be relaxed if
spending fell too fast.
Britain’s economy grew by 2.3 per cent between 1951 and 1964. This compares with
growth of 5.6 per cent in Italy and 5.1 per cent in Germany over the same period.
